IdiomDaily Life
French
FrenchLa cheville ouvrière
Meaning: The linchpin — the person or thing on which an entire operation turns.
Literally: The working pin
Example: “La secrétaire de l'association en est la véritable cheville ouvrière.” — The association's secretary is the real linchpin of the whole thing.
Origin: The cheville ouvrière is the kingpin bolt joining a cart's forecarriage to its body, carrying the load and allowing the vehicle to steer. Remove it and the whole thing comes apart, which is precisely the claim being made about the person.
More French idioms
- Être coiffé au poteau To be beaten by a hair right at the finish.
- Donner de la confiture à un cochon To waste something fine on someone incapable of appreciating it.
- Un corbeau The anonymous author of poison-pen letters.
- Bayer aux corneilles To stand around idly, staring into space.
- Un panier de crabes A group whose members constantly undermine one another.
- Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide One bad experience makes you wary even where there is no danger.
Explore another collection: Tongue Twisters
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- Un chasseur sachant chasser doit savoir chasser sans son chien. The classic French 'ch' / 's' tangler.
- Les chaussettes de l'archiduchesse sont-elles sèches, archi-sèches? A merciless duel between 'ch' and 's'.
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. An 's' / 'si' minefield.
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